Program Overview

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University Program Information

The university offers a wide range of programs, including short and online courses, undergraduate, postgraduate, professional, and research degrees.

Subject Areas

• Archaeology and anthropology
  • Archaeology
• Architectural history
  • Architectural History
• Business and management
  • Business and management
• Data science, computing, maths
  • Data science, computing, maths
• Diplomatic studies and law
  • Diplomatic studies
• Economics and politics
  • Economics and politics
• Education and study skills
  • Education
• Environment and sustainability
  • Environment and sustainability
• History of art
  • History of Art
• History, including local and social
  • History
  • English Local History
• Languages and cultural studies
  • Languages and cultural studies
• Literature, creative writing and film studies
  • Literature, creative writing and film studies
• Medical and health sciences
  • Medical and health sciences
• Music
  • Music
• Natural sciences
  • Natural sciences
• Philosophy
  • Philosophy
• Psychology and counselling
  • Psychology and counselling
• Religion and theology
  • Religion and theology
• Technology and AI
  • Technology and AI

Course Formats

• Day and weekend events
• In-person learning
• Lecture series
• Online learning
• Professional
• Summer schools
• Weekly learning

Undergraduate Programs

Certificates

• Archaeology
• Certificate of Higher Education
• English Literature
• History
• History of Art
• Theological Studies

Diplomas

• Archaeology
• Creative Writing
• English Social and Local History
• History of Art

Advanced Diplomas

• British Archaeology
• IT Systems Analysis and Design (Online)
• Local History (Online)

Pre-Master's

• Advanced Pre-sessional Course for Graduate Students (nine weeks, full-time)
• Foundations of Diplomacy Pre-Master's Course (six months, full-time)

Summer Schools

• Oxford University Summer School for Adults

Postgraduate Programs

Certificates

• Architectural History
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• Ecological Survey Techniques
• Enhanced Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• Health Research
• Historical Studies
• Nanotechnology
• Patient Safety and Quality Improvement
• Psychodynamic Counselling
• Qualitative Health Research Methods
• Teaching Evidence-Based Health Care

Diplomas

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Severe Mental Health Problems
• Health Research
• International Wildlife Conservation Practice
• Psychodynamic Practice

Master of Studies (MSt)

• Creative Writing
• Diplomatic Studies
• Historical Studies
• History of Design
• Literature and Arts
• Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy
• Practical Ethics
• Psychodynamic Practice

Research Degrees (DPhil)

• Archaeology
• Architectural History
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• English Local History
• Evidence-Based Health Care
• Literature and Arts
• Sustainable Urban Development

Master of Science (MSc)

• Applied Landscape Archaeology
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• English Local History
• Evidence-Based Health Care
• Evidence-Based Health Care Medical Statistics
• Evidence-Based Health Care Systematic Reviews
• Evidence-Based Health Care Teaching and Education
• Experimental and Translational Therapeutics
• Nanotechnology for Medicine and Health Care
• Surgical Science and Practice
• Sustainable Urban Development
• Translational Health Sciences

Professional Programs

Continuing Professional Development

• Business and management
• Cultural heritage
• Data science, computing, maths
• Diplomatic studies
• Education
• Environment and sustainability
• Medical and health sciences
• Nanotechnology and nanomedicine
• Philosophy and ethics
• Psychology and counselling
• Research methods and skills
• Technology and AI
• Urban studies

Research

Research Community

Research at Oxford Lifelong Learning extends across the disciplines and is supported by a research culture that encourages interdisciplinary initiatives.

Research Areas

• Academic staff profiles
• Part-time DPhil programmes
• Research areas
• Research students

Research Forums

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) Steering Group
• Lifelong Learning Pedagogies forum
• Research Ethics Colloquium
• The Vice-Chancellors Colloquium

About Us

The Department

• Academic staff profiles
• Mission, vision and values
• Our history
• Student spotlights
• Vacancies and tutor panel
• Visiting Fellowships Scheme

News and Events

• News
• Open events
• Whats on

Our Venues

• Accommodation
• Conferences
• Dining and catering
• Facilities

Student Information

• Continuing Education Library
• Oxford qualifications
• Student resources and support

Course Details

Writing Fiction

Course Overview

Our Writing Fiction course has been designed for those who know that they want to write novels or short stories, and who may already have made some progress in writing.

Course Aims

• Debunk the misconception that you have to be someone special to write.
• Show how important it is to cultivate the right mind-set first.
• Take broad overview of the topography - from the blank page to revision and polishing, and what comes after.
• Break the process of writing down into constituent parts and reveal the art and craft at work.
• Give students the opportunity to roll up their sleeves and 'have a go.'
• Give students the opportunity to put it all together and create a short piece of fiction.

Course Details

• Code: O25P360CRV
• Credit: 10 CATS points
• Fees: ｣665.00
• Dates: Wed 10 Sep 2025 - Fri 21 Nov 2025
• Location: Online (Flexible)

Programme Details

The course is broken down into 10 units over 10 weeks, each requiring approximately 10 hours of study time.

Textbooks

• Lodge, D., The Art of Fiction(London: Penguin, 1992)
• Mullan, J., How Novels Work (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006)
• Wood, J., How Fiction Works(London: Vintage, 2019)

Digital Certification

• Credit Application Transfer Scheme (CATS) points
• Digital Certificate of Completion

Tutor

• Dr Louis Greenberg

Teaching Methods

• Guided reading of texts
• Guided use of existing websites
• Discussions of particular issues and responses to reading in the unit forums
• Written non-assessed exercises discussed by the group

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course students will understand:

• How real writers work as opposed to the myth
• How many effects in fiction are more the result of hard work than magic
• That all writers differ and there is no right or wrong way of doing it
• The fundamental nature of the fictive dream and how to use this understanding to write better fiction
• That good writing is a process of distillation

By the end of this course students will have gained the following skills:

• The ability to sail past doubt and dismiss misconceived notions of 'not being worthy'
• The ability to actively generate ideas rather than passively await their arrival
• The ability to practise writing like pilots learning flying in a flight simulator: by breaking it down into individual steps and practising them
• The ability to deploy time-honoured story-telling tricks & techniques to improve their fiction

Assessment Methods

You will be set two pieces of work for the course. The first of 500 words is due halfway through your course. This does not count towards your final outcome but preparing for it, and the feedback you are given, will help you prepare for your assessed piece of work of 1,500 words due at the end of the course. The assessed work is marked pass or fail.

Level and Demands

This course is open to all and no prior knowledge is required. This course is offered at FHEQ level 4 (i.e. first year undergraduate level) and you will be expected to engage in independent study in preparation for your assignments. Our 10-week Short Online Courses come with an expected total commitment of 100 study hours.

English Language Requirements

We do not insist that applicants hold an English language certification, but warn that they may be at a disadvantage if their language skills are not of a comparable level to those qualifications listed on our website. If you are confident in your proficiency, please feel free to enrol.

IT Requirements

This course is delivered online; to participate you must to be familiar with using a computer for purposes such as sending email and searching the Internet. You will also need regular access to the Internet and a computer meeting our recommended minimum computer specification.